


Vanished

by phoenixnz



Series: Nightwing Chronicles [13]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Smallville
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 10:05:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12604160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixnz/pseuds/phoenixnz
Summary: Bruce is on the trail





	Vanished

Bruce had been trying to get in contact with Lex for days, to no avail. Lieutenant Gordon had told him that the investigation on Lionel had heated up and the FBI was preparing to make an arrest. He’d wanted to tell Lex the good news and warn him to watch his back but Lex wasn’t picking up his calls and wasn’t answering his emails.

He was worried. 

Deciding he had no other option, Bruce drove to Smallville. Alfred had promised to let him know the second he heard anything from Lex. 

He first checked the mansion but none of the servants knew where Lex was. Or if they did, they weren’t saying. He decided to try other avenues.

He pulled up at the Kent farm and got out, looking around. He could see Jonathan out on the tractor but couldn’t see Martha. He was about to go out to the field when he heard the screen door squeak. The redhead frowned at him from the doorway.

“Bruce?”

“Mrs Kent. I …”

“What’s wrong, honey?” she asked. “Have you heard from Clark?”

“No,” he said, mounting the porch steps. “Actually, I came to see if you’d heard from Lex. He hasn’t been answering his calls or his emails and I’m worried.”

Martha led him inside and offered him coffee and a freshly-baked pastry. 

“To be honest, we’ve been a bit worried about Lex. The last time we saw him, he didn’t look well at all. He mentioned something about a headache, but …”

Bruce frowned. Lex wasn’t usually prone to migraines, which made him think something else was going on. 

“How long ago did you see him?” he asked.

“About three weeks ago.”

“Three weeks?” he asked. The last he’d heard from Lex had been two weeks ago. It wasn’t unusual for them to go a few days without some kind of contact but this was definitely not normal. 

The screen door slammed and Jonathan came in. “Bruce. What brings you here?”

“I’m worried about Lex.”

“I was just telling Bruce we hadn’t seen Lex since the farmers’ market three weeks ago.”

Jonathan nodded. “Anything we can do, son?”

“I wish there were. If I called the sheriff, I think Lionel would just come up with some kind of excuse.”

“Well, we all know what Lionel’s capable of.” 

Bruce nodded. “Speaking of whom, I received news the FBI is preparing to make an arrest.”

“Good,” Jonathan replied, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “The sooner that evil man is put in jail, the better.”

“What are you going to do, honey?” Martha asked, putting a hand on his. She knew how he felt about both Lex and Clark, even if he tried not to show it. At least, not with anyone who wasn’t the two men he loved most.

“I don’t know,” he said with a sigh. “The last time I talked with Lex he was looking into Green Arrow in Metropolis.”

“Green Arrow?” Jonathan asked, looking confused.

“Yeah, he’s this Robin Hood character who’s been stealing items bought on the black market. He was going after something of Lionel’s.”

That was a good place to start, he thought as he drove into the city. It was dark by the time he got to the penthouse suite of the Hilton. Luckily it was not occupied but then again, the staff usually fell over themselves for someone of his calibre. 

Bruce had brought along his Batman costume. The suite was perfectly placed for him to be able to leave the building via the rooftop without being seen. He left the hotel around midnight and began patrolling the city searching for the green-clothed archer. 

While out on patrol, he was able to stop a few muggings and an attempted armed robbery. It was as he decided to call it a night and head back to the hotel that he heard the screams for help. He made his way over the rooftops and looked down over a parking building close to a shopping mall. A couple were standing holding each other, looking frightened, while their car was speeding off down the exit ramp. As Bruce jumped down to help the couple he saw an arrow fly through the air and puncture one of the tyres. Green Arrow ran toward the car as the driver got out and there was a brief fight. 

Bruce saw another man moving up behind Green Arrow with a gun in his hand.

“Oh no you don’t!” he called out.

Green Arrow whirled just in time to see Bruce take out the other man with a batarang. The leather-suited man paused, staring at him. 

“Uh, thanks?” he said, sounding uncertain.

Bruce nodded his head. “We need to talk,” he said.

He could see Green Arrow torn between wanting to get away and wanting to know what he wanted to talk about. 

“Uh, yeah. Let’s get these guys squared away first.”

A short time later the police had arrived and arrested the two men. The carjacked couple were led away, both murmuring their thanks. Bruce studied the archer. He’d already done a lot of research when Lex had told him about Green Arrow and formed a theory. He just hoped he was right. 

The other man looked at him. “So?”

“Lex Luthor has disappeared.”

His answer was a shrug. “I don’t know anything about that. I did have a run-in with him a couple weeks ago, but I didn’t do anything to him.”

“Are you sure about that?”

The man frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be? What are you trying to accuse me of?”

“I know about your past enmity with him.”

“That was a long time ago and I’m a different man now.” He started to turn away then stopped and looked back at him. “Wait. How did you …”

“Oliver,” he said flatly.

Oliver lifted his crossbow, his finger on the trigger. “Who the hell are you?”

Bruce knew Oliver would figure it out eventually. He lifted his cowl. The blond archer stared. 

“Bruce?”

“Come to the Hilton. Tomorrow. Noon. We have a lot to catch up on.”

Oliver arrived at noon on the dot. Bruce showed him into the suite and sat down. He told the other man about Lex’s disappearance. The subject turned to the night’s revelations.

“I’m not even going to ask how you knew,” Oliver said. Bruce decided to explain it anyway.

“A simple matter of deduction and reasoning. Green Arrow began showing up in Star City about a year ago. You returned supposedly from the dead nearly three years ago. It seemed more than a little coincidental that you should turn up in Metropolis at the same time as the Green Arrow.”

“Uh, I don’t exactly call myself …” He shook his head. “Not that it matters, I guess. What about you? Why Batman?”

“I wanted to clean up Gotham. Lex and I were working on a project together to take down Lionel Luthor. The man murdered his parents, among other things. So, why are you really here in Metropolis?”

“Uh, I heard about a project being run at Luthorcorp. I think it’s called 33.1.”

Bruce nodded. “Yeah. That ties in with the project Lex and I have been working together on.”

“You think Lionel might have something to do with Lex’s disappearance?”

“It’s entirely possible,” Bruce told him. 

“Why did you trust me with this?” Oliver asked.

“I’ve done more than just research. I kept an eye on you after you came back from the island, Oliver. You’re not the same arrogant little shit we went to Excelsior with. It seems your experience on the island has changed you. For the better.”

“Yeah, it did,” the blond replied. “So what now?”

“Keep looking into 33.1. I need to find Lex.” He frowned. “Some friends of mine mentioned Lex wasn’t looking well the last time they saw him. Lex doesn’t get sick.”

“Have you checked the local hospitals?” Oliver asked. 

“No. Not yet.”

“Well, I’ll help you. Any way I can. I think I owe that to him.” Oliver paused. “So, where’s Clark? I mean, you three were as tight as anything. I mean, we all knew there was something … well, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. And yes, we are in relationship. Not that we’re publicly out. As for Clark, he’s currently travelling. We’re not sure when he’s coming back.”

Oliver was clearly curious but didn’t ask. He left the hotel, promising to contact Bruce if he heard anything else. Bruce sat thinking, wishing he could somehow reach Clark. With his friend, they could work together to find Lex. They had to. God only knew what Lionel was doing to him. 

He prepared to drive back to Smallville, wanting to start with the hospital there. As he finished packing, his phone rang.

“Wayne.”

“Oh, hey dude, this is AC. You know. Lex and Clark’s buddy.”

“AC? What can I do for you?”

“I heard from a friend of a friend that Lex was missing.” That ‘friend’ being Oliver, Bruce presumed. 

“Do you know something?”

“I saw him a few weeks ago. He got me this one-night gig as a waiter at this party. I saw his dad talking with him and some chick. I think she was a doctor or something.”

“Can you describe this doctor?” Bruce asked, remembering Lex telling him about Lionel’s match-making schemes.

“Yeah. Brunette, pretty.” He gave as much detail as he was able. “I heard her say something about Smallville.”

“Thanks AC. That helps a lot.”

He immediately drove to Smallville Medical Center and began asking around. No one was talking. Either they had no idea whether Lex had been admitted or they’d been paid not to say anything. He tried to get into the records room but was quickly caught out by security. 

As he was being escorted out by the guard, he spotted a pretty brunette talking to another doctor. AC’s description had been fairly vague, but enough for Bruce to think she might be the one. A nurse called out to her, loud enough for him to catch her name. 

Bruce left the hospital and returned to the Kent farm where the couple invited him to stay. Martha was only too happy to let him hook up his laptop and left him to it while she completed some chores. He immediately began looking up hospital staff information, hacking into the rosters and personnel files. 

Helen Bryce had a small house in the middle of town. She was on the day-night shift at the hospital and was due to get off work at ten that night. 

He waited it out. Martha kept giving him odd looks, clearly wondering what had him so antsy, but he didn’t want to get her hopes up. She obviously cared about Lex and was just as worried about him as he was. 

Shortly after ten, he donned his Batman costume and headed out. The streets were quiet, as was normal for a small town. Bruce quickly located the house and saw the lights were on. She was home.

He knew if she was helping Lionel, then she wasn’t going to give up information to him in his Bruce persona. He also didn’t want her going to Lionel and telling the elder Luthor anything. There was still a risk Lionel might figure it out and move Lex but that was a chance he had to take. 

He entered the house through the top floor bedroom window. Helen Bryce was walking up the stairs with a mug in hand. She stopped at the top of the stairs, her eyes wide as she stared at him.

“Who are you? How did you get in here?”

“I’ll ask the questions. Where is Lex Luthor?”

“Who?” she asked after a moment’s hesitation. It was too late for denial.

“Where is he?” Bruce ground out hoarsely.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He grabbed her and pushed her against the wall, standing close enough so his face was within an inch of hers. 

“I’m not going to ask you again. I know you’re working for Lionel Luthor. Now tell me what you‘ve done with Lex!”

She trembled. “I haven’t done anything with him, I swear!” she said. “Lionel just … he just … he thought Lex and I … but Lex wasn’t interested. I could tell that the moment I met him.”

The whole story came out. Lionel had met her at a fundraiser for a wing at Metropolis General. He’d offered to get her a residency position at Smallville Medical Center if she would meet his son. When Lex didn’t seem interested, Lionel had switched to Plan B. Helen had been forced to supply Lionel with drugs which would make Lex appear as if he was losing his mind. He’d been admitted to the hospital but all records of his admission had been destroyed.

“Where is he now?”

“Belle Reve,” she said quietly. “He’s in Belle Reve. You won’t get him out of there. Not without a court order.”

“I want a name. Who’s the doctor treating him?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “It’s out of my hands.”

“It’s not out of mine,” he told her. 

Bruce knew he was running out of time. Whatever Lionel had done to Lex, he had a feeling it would only get worse. 

He contacted Lieutenant Gordon and asked for his advice, calling from the farmhouse early the next morning. The Gotham police detective didn’t sound all that optimistic. 

“It’s really not my jurisdiction, Bruce.”

“Lex doesn’t belong in there. Lionel had him drugged to make it look as if he had a psychotic break, then covered it up.”

“Look, there’s a detective in Metropolis I can put you in touch with. Her name’s Maggie Sawyer.”

“Thanks, Jim. I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.”

“You’re welcome. Good luck, Bruce.”

He contacted the police detective, who promised to see what she could do. Martha came in from the field and looked at him with concern.

“What is it, Bruce?”

He told her everything. She was alarmed at hearing Lex was in Belle Reve.

“I’m trying to get a court order to get him out, but I don’t know how much good it will do,” he said. He wrung his hands in frustration. “Lionel could be doing anything to him.”

“I know, sweetie, but getting frustrated isn’t going to help matters. You’ve done the best you can.”

“I could try to …”

“Don’t even think of going over there yourself,” Martha told him firmly. “Especially not trying to break in.”

“I don’t know what else to do,” he said. “I’ve never felt so …” The last time he’d felt this helpless was when his parents had been murdered. He’d sworn then that he would never allow himself to feel this way again. It was why he’d tried to close himself off, ignore his feelings for both Lex and Clark. 

Martha decided to distract him by sending him out to help Jonathan in the barn. The work wasn’t taxing but it did require a little bit of concentration and it did distract him for a while. When he returned to the house, Martha smiled at him.

“Feel better?” she asked.

“A little.” His phone rang and he grabbed it. “Wayne!”

“This is detective Sawyer. I’ve been to Belle Reve. I hate to tell you this, but Lex Luthor was a patient but he’s no longer there. He’s been transferred.”

“To where?”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

Bruce hung up in despair. Lex was gone. 

“I need Clark,” he said. Clark could help him find Lex. 

“But Clark isn’t here,” Martha said.

“I know. And I don’t know where to even start looking for him.”

“I might know,” she said, looking thoughtful. “Clark left this for us and told us to use it in an emergency.” 

Bruce frowned as she took a small box from beneath the sink and opened it. He recognised the metal disc. The key.

“There’s a portal in the Kawatche caves,” Clark’s mother told him. “Clark left directions.”

He looked at her. He could just about kiss her! Instead, he settled for an enthusiastic hug.

He followed the directions and used the key in the portal, arriving in a white wilderness. Unprepared for the conditions, he shivered. 

“Clark?” he called out, his voice echoing in the chamber. He called out again. 

He heard footsteps in the snow and turned around. Clark stood there. He seemed somehow bigger than before. His body was more muscular than before and he appeared to have grown taller. Or perhaps it was just in the way he’d carried himself. When he’d left them several months before, he’d been but a boy. Now he was a man.

He looked worried. “Bruce? What is it? Is it Mom and Dad?”

He shook his head. “No. It’s Lex. He’s missing.”


End file.
